The WeeFestival is Toronto’s first international arts festival dedicated to early childhood and features productions by acclaimed companies specializing in theatre for the very young from South Africa, Pays Basque (France), Italy, Germany, Quebec, British Columbia, and Ontario. Whether for babies and toddlers, preschoolers, or kindergarteners, each show has been created with the emotional and social developmental needs and interests of young children and are presented in intimate venues throughout Toronto to ensure every child is close to the action and fully immersed in the experience.

Playing at The Theatre Centre:

Biinoojiinyag Gitgaanmiwaa (The Children’s Garden)
May 15–21, 2018
Curated by Leslie McCue

Biinoojiinyag Gitgaanmiwaa translates to Children’s Garden and is a transformative space for young children and families curated by Leslie McCue. Conceived as a relaxed performative space to explore, engage and to experience Indigenous culture through various interactive experiences, you’re welcome to visit the garden for a brief moment, a full performance, an activity or for the full week!

CutOuts
May 15–17, 2018
Teatro dei Piccoli Principi, Italy
Presented by The Theatre Centre with The Istituto Italiano di Cultura

A wondrous and mesmerizing experience where visual arts meets storytelling. Inspired by the paper cut outs of Matisse, Picasso, and Hans Christian Andersen, ​an artist ​weav​es the story of the Steadfast Tin Soldier and other fantastical tales using paper ​images, projections, and music.

KNOCK!
May 19–20, 2018
Magnet Theatre, South Africa

KNOCK! is a South African theatre performance especially created for little ones. 4 performers enter the space and explore the natural material of wood, its sounds, what it can do and what it can make. Stimulating for the imagination, the cast create strange and magical animals and images with wonderfully shaped pieces of forest wood. With songs, especially created for the production, they include the children in singing and creating sounds with their own bodies.

WEE FESTIVAL WORKSHOP with FIDOODLE: Crafting Magical Creature Self Portraits
Sunday, May 20, 2018 | 12:15–1:30PM
FREE
RSVP by email.

Location: Upper Gallery, The Theatre Centre

Inspired by Magnet Theatre’s performance, Knock!, Fidoodle’s Jen Bulthuis and photographer, Melanie Gordon help kids explore mask and creature costume making from natural materials like wood, feather, and shells. Each child then chooses one of many backgrounds for a special portrait of themselves as the creature that they have built.

Limited space available on a first-come, first-served basis. RSVP by email.

Other Performances and activities are taking place at:
Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley Street
Factory Studio Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street
Théâtre français de Toronto, 21 College Street
Small World Music, 180 Shaw Street
Wychwood Theatre, 601 Christie Street

Visit weefestival.ca for all show times and activities.